Top 5 of 2008
Text: Jared Stalder
We’ve been hearing that 2008 will be a year for the history books. And while every December that phrase is thrown around like a holiday greeting, this last year will truly be a year to be remembered, like 1914, 1969, 1997 and 2001.
We’ll remember the great things that happened last year such as the U.S.’s first black president elected. The presidential election was a pivotal event not just for the U.S., but affects of it will be felt around the rest of the world. As an American in his 30’s, I remember school teachers saying that in our lifetime we would probably not see a non-white or female president. Well, I’m happy to say they were wrong.
There are events in 2008 that we would rather forget such as the economic crisis that has, and will continue to be felt around the globe. As a financial capital, Hong Kong has been hit particularly hard and I can count on two hands how many friends have lost their jobs in the past few months.
Then there is everything in between the earth-shattering events; scandals and the celebrities we love to hate, concerts where we screamed our lungs out, movies that were pointless and therefore true guilty pleasures. These are the events that helped us forget our troubles and should be remembered just as much. Regardless of whether 2008 was good or bad to you, there’s no denying that it is truly a year for the history books; in fact, it might need its own chapter.
Men
1.Barack Obama
When Obama started running for President of the U.S. there was plenty of nay-saying; even supporters thought the likelihood of a black president was near impossible. His vision was contagious and after winning the Democratic ticket, the momentum of his campaign continued to increase. He was charismatic and a humble hero; a family man that could relate to the lower class. On November 4th, the American people had a renewed sense of pride which had been forgotten, especially in the preceding 8 years of an administration that ranged from bad to downright ridiculous. Obama’s team has recently released a six-point plan to protect the rights of gay and lesbian Americans. With the consent of Congress, over 1000 federal legal rights that are only available to heterosexual couples would be extend to same-sex marriages and civil unions. We’ll have to wait and see if Obama’s words are turned into actions but there’s no doubt that America is headed in the right direction.
2. Matthew Mitcham
Australian diver, Matthew Mitcham received the Gold in Men’s 10 meter platform at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His score was the highest ever for this Olympic event which was publicly acknowledged in the press and news. What wasn’t openly acknowledged (even in most press in Australia) was that Mitcham’s achievement is the most important by an openly gay athlete. He was the first openly gay Australian to compete at the Olympics and is the first openly gay male to win an Olympic gold. The biggest culprit of them all, US Network NBC eventually apologized for the “unintentional omission”. In any case, gays everywhere celebrated Mitcham’s victory. Also nice to see is his lack of interest in the spotlight. He was recently quoted: “I’m not really that famous. I’m just not anonymous anymore, that’s all.”
3. Raymond Wong Yuk Man (Mad Dog)
Raymond Wong has a lengthy list of involvement in political activism. Last year he successfully gained a seat on LegCo with the second highest number of votes in his constituency. His aggressive political views, which are often critical of the Hong Kong and Chinese Administrations, have earned him the name “Mad Dog”. Most recently, Wong was involved in the widely publicized “banana throw incident” in which he threw a banana in protest at the speaker’s stand and was ejected from the LegCo chamber.
Since the SARS outbreak in 2003, Wong has been a devout Christian and expresses his views openly. However, many see him as a liberal Christian and was an invited guest at the 2006 International Day Against Homophobia in Hong Kong.
4. Thomas Beatie
It was a shock to all of us when it was headlined a man was pregnant. It was a bit less shocking but no less interesting that Thomas Beatie was a trans-gendered man born a woman who still had all his reproductive organs. His wife was unable to conceive and therefore Beatie was artificially inseminated using donor sperm. The pictures of Beatie with a baby bump were shown all over the world and in June 2008 he gave birth to a healthy baby girl. He says that he’s shocked by all of the attention since it’s natural to want to have a child. The second time around won’t be as shocking; in November Beatie announced that he’s pregnant with his second child.
5. Heath Ledger
While he unfortunately didn’t live to see 2009, he will be remembered for his amazing talent and his untimely death. Heath Ledger has played a number of challenging roles, including his unforgettable and convincing portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. His latest big movie opened only six months after his death and his portrayal of The Joker may win him an Oscar. While some of the hype can be attributed to Ledger’s death, his acting is superb and his ability to “become” the character is jaw-dropping. At only 28 years old, Ledger accomplished so much in the film industry but unfortunately his accomplishments were put to a halt. We’ll be able to appreciate his work on film for years to come.
Women
1. Tina Fey
Originally, Tina Fey was just another comedian on Saturday Night Live. Then a few years ago she started getting involved in writing and acting with such favorites as Mean Girls. Now she’s a media diva with a book deal, the best TV comedy 30 Rock, and the hit movie Baby Mama. With all her work, for 2008 she’ll best be remembered for her reappearance on SNL as Sarah Palin. Her looks and impersonation were dead on and although Palin supporters snubbed it, Palin herself had to show the country she could roll with the punches and appeared as a guest on SNL. Fey, though, had few words to say about her spot on the show.
2. Hillary Clinton
For New York Senator Hillary Clinton 2008 has had its highs and lows. She was a Democratic contender for the presidency and after a surprise victory in some key states, it looked like Hillary was going to defeat Barack Obama. Clinton was the voice of women in America who wanted change. Her defeat was a let down to her supporters; so much so that she had to do some damage control in order to support the Democratic nominee, Obama who she had criticized for his inexperience. That’s all in the past now and she’s ready for her new role as Secretary of State under the new Obama administration.
3. Britney Spears
2007 was not a good year for Britney; rehab, child custody problems, beaver shots, divorce, traffic violations, shaving her head, talking with fake accents and who can forget that VMA performance. It was looking very bad for Britney, even with a surprisingly well done album at the end of 2007. Last year someone must have given her a good slap and things started changing. In September Britney introduced the 2008 MTV VMA’s without incident and walked (not staggered) away with three awards. She started trimming down and looking healthier. Her latest single, Womanizer has topped the charts and it seems she’s back on track. I’ll miss trashy Britney but fans are excited that she’s once again a pop princess.
4. Lindsay Lohan
At the beginning of 2008, Lindsay Lohan was fresh from recovery and announced she was off the booze. We’ve heard that one before, right? It started to stick and just when you thought she was out of the limelight along comes “friend”, Samantha Ronson. It was never denied that Lohan was a lesbian (some said it was obvious) but her relationship was tiptoed around, e.g. “special friend”. Now it’s pretty clear what her relationship is – either permanent or temporary same sex lovin’. Now her whole family is in the media; her father thinks Ronson will take advantage of her by writing a tell-all. He should just be happy she’s not hitting the bottle and “borrowing” someone else’s pants that happen to have coke in the pocket.
5. Lily Allen
Lily Allen had a rough start to 2008 with the miscarriage of her and boyfriend Ed Simons of Chemical Brothers’ baby. This news was not only sad because she wasn’t going to be a mother but also because Allen told reporters that she wanted to tame her partying ways since she’d be a family woman. Sure enough, she started hitting the bottle. She got up on stage with Elton John and after a comment from John about her drunken state she tried to dis him which just made her look worse. Now things are starting to look up for the UK singer; she hasn’t had a drink since September and has trimmed down. Could this be a 360 for Allen?
Movies
1. Milk
Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant, hasn’t hit Hong Kong Cinemas yet but all my friends from the US have been raving about it. And the hype doesn’t stop with the homo community; the film has won several awards and has been nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG awards.
Harvey Milk was the US’s first gay city supervisor and was known for inspiring people and not mixing in shifty political deals. He used his position and intellect to help the homosexual civil rights movement but his life was short lived; Milk was shot by a fellow supervisor. Sean Penn has received much acclaim for his portrayal of Harvey Milk; from his sunny disposition to being pushy when necessary. Even his gay mannerisms are believable and not over acted (take notes actors). With such a powerful message and such a powerful performance by Penn, Milk is a must see.
2. The Dark Knight
There have been so many Batman movies it’s hard to keep them straight. Fans have flocked to all the productions but the average movie goer (such as myself) skipped a few here and there especially when reviews were not great. The Dark Knight received a lot of hype before its release with its star-filled cast and astronomical budget. The buildup of this Batman movie was increased with talk of the late actor, Heath Ledgers’s stellar performance. Ledger’s performance was rightfully touted and has created lots of Oscar buzz. Whether or not the late actor wins an Oscar, it is truly a performance not to be missed.
3. Sex and the City
While the Sex and the City movie received mixed reviews from the motion picture community, its fans (including me) loved it and it showed. The only ones I know who gave it thumbs down were those who were not true fans of the show or who had never seen the show (could you imagine?). For fans it was a perfect continuation of the much loved series; Carrie’s relationship with Big, Charlotte being a mom, Samantha’s struggle with monogamy and Miranda’s marriage wows. The film is full of laugh-out-loud moments as well as some tearful scenes; all of it relatable in one way or another. There are still some lose ends which is why I, as well as all fans, are hopeful for a sequel.
4. Mamma Mia
While it is sure not to win any Oscars (for acting, at least) Mamma Mia was the guilty pleasure of the cinematic year. Soon-to-be-wed 20 year-old Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) searches for her father; one of three men her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep) wrote about in her diary 20 years prior. Pretending to be her mother, Sophie decides to invite all three men to the wedding. What ensues is a comedic love story of finding love at no matter what age. The tale is nicely woven around several ABBA songs so while the storey is a bit predictable at least there’s some camp music to keep you occupied.
5. WALL-E
I’m not a huge fan of animated movies and I honestly put off watching WALL-E for a while until I read all the hype and had to check it out for myself. The film takes place in the future, with WALL-E, a lonely trash compactor and his love interest, EVE. The first 30 minutes of the film has almost no dialogue, something that’s hard to do especially when you want to appeal to a wide audience. It’s amazing how much slight facial expressions and beeps can convey; Pixar did an amazing job at making the characters lifelike… well as much as a robot can be. The movie takes you on a sci-fi adventure with a love story at its heart.
Music Album
1. We Started Nothing – The Ting Tings
The duo Jules De Martino and Katie White are The Ting Tings and they may be the most exciting British Indie-Pop band in years. The sound is a beat and synth explosion that is not overdone on either end of the spectrum just as it’s neither bubblegum pop nor dark-talk indie. Favorites include Shut Up and Let Me Go and That’s Not My Name which are so catchy and danceable that they’ve hit the local dance floor (with some bassy remixing to appease the masses). The Ting Tings hit Hong Kong February 3rd so get your tickets to see this band tear it up live.
2. 19 – Adele
There hasn’t been such a soulful “non-sista” since Dusty Springfield and Taylor Dayne. Adele dishes out love songs, some sad and some hopeful but all with her sultry and smoky voice reminiscent of Amy Winehouse and Ella Fitzgerald. Chasing Pavements is one of the best on the 19 album but all the songs highlight her amazing choice of lyrics that come with London attitude and charm. Her fans come from a wide range of music enthusiasts; her voice and songs are simply easy to listen to no matter what genre you’re in to.
3. Oracular Spectacular – MGMT
“Oracular” doesn’t really mean anything but it rhymes nicely with “Spectacular”… of course MGMT’s album is not about doing what’s right or normal. The songs on Oracular Spectacular are all about being unique and different from what you’re used to. That’s not to say they don’t have influences from other great artists; you can hear a bit of Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev and Muse but with a strong Britpop vibe. This is the first studio album from New York indie rock band MGMT (Management) but there are new versions of their previously released songs Kids and Time to Pretend. All the songs on the album are filled with dead on synths à la 80’s electro made even more danceable with pounding drums. It’s so wrong, it’s right
4. Third – Portishead
Over 10 years after their last album, Portishead has released a new album. The 10 year lapse has been attributed to a creative jolt after their last album was a bit underrated. Well, the 10 years has done them some good; Third has pleased old fans and attracted new ones. It is their first album to hit the U.S. top 10 list reaching #7 in its first week of release. They have retained their folky and emotional lyrics but have added some wonderful techno and industrial sounds that show their ability to find new ways to express their sound. “Weird and wonderful” sums up this album nicely.
5. One of the Boys – Katy Perry
If you haven’t heard a Katy Perry song then you haven’t gotten out much… or at least to a gay bar. One of the Boys is Perry’s first pop album and though it probably won’t win a Grammy, it is one of the hits of the summer. Her pop sound and engaging lyrics are fun and infectious. I really had my doubts when Perez Hilton said he’s been a big fan for a while but now I hit the dance floor like the rest of the fags. I Kissed a Girl (I’m sure popular with the girls who prefer girls) and Hot N Cold are the hits of the album. And to think, her first album was Christian rock (sung as Katy Hudson). Guess she won’t be singing in the choir anytime soon.
Scandals
1. Economic Crisis
I know so many people who have been affected by the economic downturn (sometimes called a crisis) and if you don’t know anyone then you’re lucky. There had been some gloom on the economy for a while with mutterings of warnings. On September 13, one of the biggest investment banks in America, Lehman Brothers went bankrupt when B of A bought Merrill Lynch instead of them. Soon insurance company AIG announced that it needed to be bailed out. Hong Kong investors of Lehman Brothers were so distraught that they (oddly) held a vigil. Now it has caused a ripple and several industries have felt the affects. “Credit crunch” will be a term used for the foreseeable future.
2. Madonna Divorces
Madonna has been so in and out of things over the years; looks, accents, countries, beliefs… It shouldn’t be a shock that she announced that she was seeking a divorce from British director Guy Ritchie but I was really hoping that this one would stick. I mean eight years and two boys… and she’s 50. Well, she’s made it clear that Ritchie wasn’t following her Kabala marriage rules but maybe Yankee Alex Rodriguez can roll with her punches. Madge’s backstabbing started soon after the announcement; so much for a civilized breakup. Ritchie’s handsome settlement should cushion the blow.
3. Boy George Guilty
Former frontman of Culture Club and more currently DJ (among other dabblings), Boy George was convicted on December 5th of false imprisonment. Apparently he handcuffed an escort (Audun Carlsen) to a wall hook in the signer’s apartment for about an hour. George claims that he suspected the escort of tampering with his computer. Carlsen showed the jury welts on his head and injuries on his arms, though George denies inflicting those wounds. He’s out on probation until his sentencing in January which isn’t expected to be the max jail time (life) but he has been told by the judge that he’ll probably serve time. I guess he’ll be crying “Do you really want to hurt me?” to his cellmate.
4. Local Bus Company Says No To HK Gay Pride Parade
While the Hong Kong Pride Parade is the biggest local queer celebration that happened in ’08 (see below) it also produced some drama. There were apparently several obstacles from the government, police and, most overtly, by a local bus company. It was reported by organizers of the parade that Citybus refused to rent a double-decker bus because of concerns about its image. As a legal parade, this was clearly discrimination since the parade was granted a permit by the police. A spokesperson for Citybus denied that it was discrimination and stated it was a commercial decision. Hmmmm…..
5. Pete and Amy Makes a Video
We knew that Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty were a mess. I mean all of the reports of her calling in sick to concerts, passing out at performances and then her appearance – a poster child for rehab. With the release of her album (while she still looked fairly normal) we laughed about her refusal to go to rehab. But then things started to get worse and in May Amy and Pete posted a YouTube video of them clearly high and playing with one day old mice. They used the mice to talk to Winehouse’s husband… “Please don’t divorce mommy.” I think she just gave him a very good reason. It went from bizarre to downright sad. I would like to say she’s on the road to recovery but that’s only a dream for now.
Gay Moments
1. Ellen and Portia Weds
In May of last year California’s Supreme Court ruled a previous ban on marriage unconstitutional. Ellen DeGeneres was quick to announce her engagement to Portia de Rossi who she had been dating since December 2004. This was quite an announcement especially during such a highly controversial political atmosphere; California (as well as a few other states) were to vote in November whether or not to amend the state’s constitution to state marriage would be defined as between a woman and a man. DeGeneres and Portia had a small, intimate wedding before the vote. Unfortunately, California voted (51%) to amend the constitution. It seems that they’ll be able to keep their marriage certificate but DeGeneres is still protesting the vote. You go, girl!
2. Hong Kong Gay Pride Parade
The Hong Kong Gay Pride Parade was the biggest gay celebration of the year in Hong Kong and perhaps one of the biggest achievements for gay rights in Hong Kong. There have been small demonstrations against homophobia but this is the first parade to spread the message of queer identity of this magnitude – approximately 1000 participants. While the energy was not the same as other parades, it was definitely celebratory and brimming with pride. It certainly shows a change in the Chinese mentality to even allow a Gay Pride Parade in a country that does little to even acknowledge homosexuality. Most spectators expectedly just watched a bit bewildered but some cheered us on. Either way, we spread the message of pride and love.
3. Transgender Isis King on Top Model
It wasn’t so much a shock as it was a milestone for the trans community that Tyra Banks had a transgender contestant on the popular TV program, America’s Next Top Model. Tyra has always been a supporter of the gay and trans community. Unfortunately for supporters, Isis King was the 5th to be booted, presumably because she didn’t feel comfortable in a bathing suit since she hadn’t had the full change. It was sad to see her go, especially since she was living in a homeless shelter when she tried out for the show and the chances of getting her reassignment were slim. But Tyra surprised her and is going to help her get her wish early this year.
4. Matt Lucas Divorces
Little Britain star, Matt Lucas had a rough year. He requested and was granted a divorce form his partner, Kevin McGee making Lucas the first celebrity gay divorcee. They had been together since 2002, became engaged in 2006 and wed in December 2006. It looks like it’s going to be a messy one; McGee may be entitled to half of what Lucas earned while they were together – millions of pounds. Lucas has hired a bigshot divorce team to see that his ex gets as little as possible. Now that’s not a laughing matter. However, “the only gay divorcee in the village” comes to mind.
5. Kylie Live in Hong Kong
One of the most talked about events of the year (among the gays, at least) was Kylie’s show here in Hong Kong. On the day of the concert, everyone was filling their facebook status’ with their exclamations of excitement and anticipation. I’m sure some of you peed a little or even fainted (I know one at least) when the Aussie diva appeared on stage. Kylie’s show was hands down one of the best performances this year with hot dancers and amazing costumes. Seeing Kylie perform was a perfect ending to such a crazy and stressful year.
